Wick holder

ABSTRACT

In one aspect of the present invention, a wick holder adapted to hold a wick extending upwardly from a pool of liquefied fuel is provided. In one embodiment, a flame on the wick does not directly engage the pool of liquefied fuel. The wick holder includes a base portion that forms a capillary space with a capillary pedestal. A wick retainer is disposed above the base portion and retains the wick over the base portion. One or more openings through the base portion and an opening in the wick retainer disposed over the base portion provides a path for liquefied fuel to flow from the capillary space to the wick via the holes in the base portion, across a top of the base portion, and through the opening in the wick receiver.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. Nos. 11/123,461, 11/124,313, and 11/123,372, each of which wasfiled May 6, 2005, and each of which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/978,744, filed Nov. 1, 2004, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/938,434,filed Sep. 10, 2004. This application is also a continuation-in-part ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/938,453, filed Sep. 10, 2004.

REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

SEQUENTIAL LISTING

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wick holder for holding a wick in acandle assembly.

2. Description of the Background of the Invention

It is know in the candle art to have a wick holder for holding a wick ina predetermined position within a wax fuel charge or within a liquidfuel charge of a candle, a lamp, or other similar open flame lightingdevice. In one candle, a wick holder is spool-shaped and has a tubularbarrel and radial heat fins extending transversely from opposite ends ofthe barrel. The barrel has open top and bottom ends and a wick disposedthrough the top end. The wick and wick holder assembly are disposedwithin a wax fuel charge, such that one set of heat fins is disposed ata bottom end of the fuel charge and the other set of heat fins isdisposed near a top end of the fuel charge with the wick extendingupwardly through the top end of the fuel charge. The wick holder isformed of heat transmissive material, such as metal, and the wick has aheat transmissive core so that heat from a flame on the wick istransferred downwardly through the core to the wick holder so as to meltthe wax as the flame burns. Holes through the sidewall of the barreldisposed between the fins allow melted wax to flow from outside thebarrel into the wick and subsequently up to the flame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a wick holder includes a base portiondefining a cavity on a first side thereof, a wick retainer disposed on asecond side of the base portion opposite the first side, an openingthrough the base portion between the first side and the second side, anda fuel aperture disposed on the second side of the base portion. Thefuel aperture is adjacent to the base portion, and the fuel aperture isspaced from the opening.

In another aspect of the invention, a wick holder includes a baseportion adapted to form a capillary space above a capillary pedestal anda wick receiver disposed above the base portion and adapted to retain awick. An opening through the base portion is adapted to provide fluidcommunication between the capillary space and a top side of the baseportion. A fuel aperture is defined at least partly by the wickreceiver. The fuel aperture is disposed above and adjacent to the baseportion spaced from the opening. The fuel aperture is adapted to be influid communication with the capillary space, and the wick holder isadapted to hold a portion of the wick above a pool of liquefied fuelsurrounding the capillary pedestal.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a wick assembly includes a wickand a wick holder. The wick holder includes a base portion, a heat finextending upwardly from a top side of the base portion, and a wickreceiver disposed above the top side of the base portion. The wick iscarried by the wick receiver with the wick disposed above the baseportion. A fluid path is defined through the base portion. The fluidpath extends between a supply area of liquefied fuel below the baseportion and the top side of the base portion. A second fluid pathextends from the wick and is disposed above the base portion. The firstfluid path is spaced from the second fluid path, and the first fluidpath and the second fluid path provide fluid communication between thesupply area and the wick.

Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a candle assembly according toone aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of a wick holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel element along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view generally transverse to line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 with the candle assembly in assembled form;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view along the line 5-5 ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a wick holder and a portion of amelting plate according to another aspect of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of still another wick holder according tothe present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the wick holder shown inFIG. 7 in a similar view as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a simplified partial cross-sectional view of a melting platecandle showing a capillary pedestal and locking wick holder with finsaccording to a further aspect of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a wick holder according to yet anotheraspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a candle assembly 100 includes a supportbase 102, a melting plate 104, a wick holder 106, a wick 108, and a fuelelement 110. The support base 102 carries the melting plate 104, whichis generally saucer shaped, and includes a centrally disposed capillarypedestal 112. Optional decorative etchings 114 are disposed on an upperexposed surface of the melting plate 104 to provide enhancedattractiveness or visual information. The wick holder 106 includes abase portion 116 that fits over the capillary pedestal 112, a wickretainer sleeve in the shape of an elongate cylindrical tube, or barrel118, and heat conductive elements, such as fins 120. The barrel 118receives the wick 108 therein such that the wick extends from the baseportion 116 with a portion of the wick exposed above the barrel. Thefuel element 110 is disposed over and around the wick holder 106 andincludes a duct or slot 122 through which the wick 108 extends. The slot122 has a width w₁ sufficient to allow the wick 108 to extend throughthe slot and a length l₁ sufficient to accept at least a portion of thefins 120 therethrough. In one embodiment, the fuel element 110 has amass of wax approximately 15 grams, and the melting plate candle 100 mayburn continuously for about 3 to 3½ hours on a single fuel element, suchas the wax fuel element 110, before the fuel is completely consumed.

As seen in FIG. 2, the base portion 116 of the wick holder 106 includesan end plate 124 encompassed by a generally conical base skirt 126, andan upper portion including the barrel 118 extending upwardly from theend plate 124 and the fins 120 extending from the barrel and end plate.The base portion 116 is adapted to fit closely over and around thecapillary pedestal 112 such that the barrel 118 is maintained in anupright, or substantially vertical, orientation when placed on thecapillary pedestal. The base skirt 126 includes indentations or spacers128, and holes 130 extend through the end plate 124. Ferromagneticstructures, such as steel rivets 132 or magnets 180 (shown in FIG. 5),are secured to the base portion 116, such as through the holes 130, sothat the wick holder 106 may be releasably secured over the capillarypedestal 112 by magnetic forces. The barrel 118 is sized to receive thewick 108 with either a close fit or interference fit so as to retain thewick therein and define an opening 134 in the end plate 124 such thatthe wick can extend through the end plate. The fins 120 extend laterallyoutwardly on opposite sides of the barrel 118 and extend upwardly abovethe barrel. In one embodiment, the fins 120 are shaped to simulate aflame outline. In other embodiments, the fins 120 may have square,circular, oval, triangular, or other non-geometric shapes, and in stillother embodiments, the fins 120 may have insulated areas (not shown) asdescribed more fully in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/939,039,filed Sep. 10, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. The fins 120 are relatively thin strips of heat conductivematerial, such as metal, for transmitting heat from a flame burning onthe wick 108 outwardly toward the fuel element 110. In one embodiment,the wick holder 106 is formed from a single sheet of aluminum that iscut and folded about a fold 136 and thereby forming a capillary space138 between two sides 140 and 142 and channels or gaps 144 in the baseskirt 126. In other embodiments, the wick holder 106 may be formed byother methods from other heat resistant materials, such as ceramic,other metals, heat resistant plastics, etc. If the wick holder 106 isformed of a ferromagnetic material, such as steel, the steel rivets 132may optionally be omitted. The two sides 140 and 142 are securedtogether by any convenient means, such as with rivets 146 through holes148 in the heat fins 120, welds, clips, heat resistant adhesives, etc.The gaps 144 and the holes 130 allow melted fuel material from the fuelelement 110, to drip or seep underneath the base skirt 126, and thecapillary space 138 allows melted fuel material to traverse up the fins120 by capillary action and thereby provide a source of fuel material innon-consumable wick areas 150. An example of such capillary action isdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/938,453.

As seen in detail in FIG. 3, the fuel element 110 includes a body 152 offuel material and has an upper surface 154 and a lower surface 156. Thefuel element 110 in one embodiment is shaped as a wax puck and in otherembodiments may have other shapes and/or include other meltable orflowable fuel materials, such as paraffin or animal fat, having a solidor semi-solid state or otherwise maintainable in a fixed form at roomtemperature. The lower surface 156 of the fuel element 110 defines acavity 158 having an upper cavity wall 160 shaped to conform to the baseportion 116 of the wick holder 106. The slot 122 extends from the uppersurface 154 to the upper cavity wall 160 and has a width w₁ at the uppersurface that is smaller than a width w₂ at the cavity wall. The width w₁is adapted to prevent melted wax from the fuel element 110 from fallingor trickling down the slot 122 without engaging the wick 108, or putanother way, the width w₁ is narrow enough to ensure that melted fuelmaterial from near the upper portion of the slot 122 will engage thewick 108 as it falls or trickles down the slot. In one embodiment, thewidth w₁ is not more than approximately 0.02″ (0.5 mm) larger than adiameter of the wick at an upper end of the slot 122. In anotherembodiment, the width w₁ is approximately the same as a diameter of thewick 108. In yet another embodiment, the width w₁ is less than a widthof the wick 108 so that an interference fit exists between the wick andthe body 152 at the upper end of the slot 122. In a further embodiment,the width w₁ is less than or equal to approximately 0.12 inches (3 mm),and the wick 108 has a diameter of approximately 0.1 inches (2.5 mm). Inyet a further embodiment (not shown), the slot 122 may have a width thatis initially more than approximately 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) larger than adiameter of the wick 108 to allow for easy insertion of the wick 108 andwick holder 106 into the slot 122, and the slot is filled subsequentlywith additional fuel material in a second manufacturing step so that thewidth w₁ is less than approximately 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) larger than thediameter of the wick.

As shown in FIG. 4, the support base 102 carries the melting plate 104within an upper chamber 162, which is generally bowl-shaped. The meltingplate 104 in one embodiment is secured to a sidewall 164 of the upperchamber 162 with adhesive 166 thereby providing an empty air space 168between the melting plate and an intermediate wall 170 of the supportbase 102. The air space 168 provides additional insulation between themelting plate and the support base 102 to reduce heat loss through themelting plate to the support base. In another embodiment (not shown) themelting plate 104 is adjacent to the intermediate wall 170 with adhesive166 placed therebetween such that no air space 168 is disposed betweenmelting plate and the intermediate wall. Of course, other arrangementsand support configurations for the melting plate 104 are also suitablefor supporting the melting plate 104.

In one embodiment of the fuel element 110, the slot 122 has a length l₁in the upper surface 154 that is longer than a length l₂ in the lowersurface 156. The length l₁ is shorter than a largest width w_(f) of thefins 120 and the length l₂ is longer than the largest width w_(f) of theheat fins. Such a configuration of the slot lengths l₁ and l₂ inrelation to the width w_(f), in addition to the slot widths w₁ and w₂ asdescribed herein above, facilitates inserting the wick holder 106 fullyinto the slot from the lower surface 156. Such configuration of the slot122 and cavity 158 may also prevent the slot from fully receiving thewick holder if the fins 120 are inserted into the slot through the uppersurface 154 rather than through the lower surface 156, therebypreventing or discouraging improper assembly of the fuel element 110 andthe wick holder 106.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a portion of the melting plate 104, capillarypedestal 112, wick holder 106, fuel element 110, and wick 108 are shownassembled and ready for use or initial ignition by a user. In oneembodiment, the capillary pedestal 112 includes an inclined sidewall 172having an annular groove 174 extending therearound in a medial positionbetween a floor 176 of the melting plate 104 and a top wall 178 of thecapillary pedestal. A magnet 180 is secured to an underside of the topwall 166 with an adhesive 182. In another embodiment, the magnet 180 maybe disposed on an upper side of the top wall 178 or at another locationsufficient to attract the wick holder 106. The spacers 128 are adaptedto seat in the annular groove 174 to provide a capillary space 184between the base skirt 126 and the inclined sidewall 172. The capillaryspace 184 is sized to facilitate capillary movement of melted or liquidfuel material (not shown) toward the wick 108. The spacers 128 also helpretain the wick holder 106 on the capillary pedestal 112 by seating inthe annular groove 174. In addition, the steel rivet 132 in the wickholder 106 is attracted to the magnet 180 when placed over the capillarypedestal 112 and thereby prevents the wick holder from accidentallyfalling or slipping off of the capillary pedestal. When placed on anunderside of the end plate 124, the steel rivets 132 also act as spacersto help maintain the capillary space 184. In another embodiment, one ormore magnets 186 may be secured to the end plate 124 by any convenientmeans, such as with an adhesive or by a rivet, in order to maintain thewick clip 106 in position on the capillary pedestal 112. The cavity wall160 of the fuel element 110 is shaped to fit around the base skirt 126and barrel 118 of the wick holder 106 and rest on the floor 176 of themelting plate 104 in order to minimize open space 188 between the fuelelement and the wick 108, the wick holder 106, and the melting platefloor 176. Optimizing and/or minimizing the open space 188 increases thelikelihood of having melted fuel material (not shown) being fed directlyto the wick 108 rather than falling downwardly to the floor 176 oraccumulating in the open space and thereby potentially starving the wickof liquid or melted fuel material while burning. However, as the meltedfuel material accumulates about the base of the capillary pedestal 112,whether due to melting from the melting plate 104 or from direct meltingby a flame 109 disposed on the wick 108, the melted fuel material isdrawn upwardly along the capillary space 184 by capillary action towardnon-consumable wick areas 150 while the candle is burning. The wick 108in one embodiment extends through the open end 134 of the barrel 118 totouch or nearly touch the top wall 178 of the capillary pedestal 112 sothat liquid fuel material drawn up the capillary space 184 will engagethe wick 108 and be drawn upwardly therein for eventual burning by aflame burning on the wick. The wick barrel 118 has an inside diametersufficient to receive the wick 108. The inside diameter of the barrel118 may be larger, smaller, or the same as the diameter of the wick andmay be uniform or have different diameters along a length thereof. Inone embodiment, the inside diameter of the barrel 118 is larger than thediameter of the wick 108 so that the wick may be easily inserted intothe barrel. In another embodiment, the inside diameter of the barrel 118is uniform and approximately 0.012″ (0.3 mm) larger than the diameter ofthe wick 108. In yet other embodiments, the inside diameter of thebarrel 118 is the same size as or smaller than the wick 108. Melted fuelmaterial can seep into the capillary space 184 through the weep holes130 and thereby prime or facilitate capillary action upward through thecapillary space 184. Melted fuel material may also be drawn upwardly inthe capillary space 138 between opposing sides 140, 142 of the fins 120and drawn to the non-combustible wick areas 150 where the melted fuelmaterial is vaporized and ignited by a flame disposed on the wick 108.

Turning now to FIG. 6, another wick holder 200 and melting plate 202 areshown that are similar to the wick holder 106 and melting plate 104shown in FIGS. 1-5, except that a capillary pedestal 204 includes asmooth inclined sidewall 206 without the annular groove 174. The wickholder 200 also does not include the spacers 128 in the base skirt 126.A capillary space (not shown), similar to 184, is maintained between thebase skirt 126 and the sidewall 206 by steel rivets 132 protruding belowan end wall, such as 124, of a base portion 116 of the wick holder 200.In this embodiment, the wick holder 200 is maintained on the capillarypedestal 204 substantially by the attraction between the steel rivets132 and the magnet 180 (shown in FIG. 5) in the capillary pedestal andany weight of the fuel element 110.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, a wick holder 300 of another embodiment for use in acandle assembly, such as 100, is similar to the wick holder 106 (or 200)except that the wick holder 300 also includes a medial portion of thebarrel 118 having a cross-sectional area that is less than across-sectional area of any other portion of the wick barrel. Anindentation 302 in a sidewall 304 of the barrel 118 defines aconstricted portion 306 of the barrel disposed intermediate oppositeopen ends 308 and 310 of the barrel and having a cross-sectional arealess than any other portion of the barrel. The wick 108 extends throughthe barrel 118 such that a portion or end of the wick adapted to absorbfuel material 311 (when in a melted or otherwise fluid state) extendsdownwardly through the end 310 and another portion or end of the wickadapted for ignition extends upwardly through end 308. The constrictedportion 306 reduces an effective wick cross-sectional area, and therebymay reduce or restrict a capillary fluid flow capacity of the wickbetween the first open end 308 and the second open end 310. Therestricted flow capacity, and subsequently reduced volume flow rate, ofthe fluid fuel material 311 up the wick 108 from the end 310 toward aflame region above the end 308, in turn may reduce the fuel materialburn rate and extend the life of the fuel element 110. Because theconstricted portion 306 having a larger cross-sectional area allows afaster volume flow rate, or increased capillary fluid flow capacity,than a constricted portion having a smaller cross-sectional area, thecapillary fluid flow capacity of the wick 108 may be substantiallyreduced by reducing the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion.Such a constriction on the flow rate of the fluid fuel material 311upwardly along the wick 108 past the constricted portion 306 is enhancedwhen the sidewall 304 is substantially liquid impervious (e.g., does notallow the fluid fuel material to pass therethrough to the wick 108),which thereby restricts the flow of the fluid fuel material into thewick through the end 310 located in the end plate 124 or above the end308 of the barrel 118. The indentation 302 may also help maintain thewick 108 in a predetermined position within the barrel 118 such that,for example, an end portion of the wick extends through or to the end310 in order to prevent the wick from being pulled out of the barrel andthus potentially losing contact with the flow of the fluid fuel material311 toward the wick through the capillary space 184 and weep holes 130.

Other variations and embodiments of the candle assembly and wick holder300 described in detail herein are also specifically contemplated. Forexample, in one embodiment, the barrel 118 may take the form of a sleevehaving a cylindrical shape or a tubular shape having othercross-sectional areas and shapes (not shown). In another embodiment, theconstricted portion 306 in the barrel 118 is formed by an inner annularridge (not shown), which may be formed by indenting or crimping thesidewall 304 entirely around the wick barrel 118 or by an inner annularshoulder (not shown) disposed on an inner surface of the sidewall 304.The constricted portion 306 in another embodiment may be formed by asingle indentation 302 or by a plurality of indentations, which may beeither in opposing relationship or offset from each other. In anotherembodiment (not shown) the barrel 118 may have the form of a wick casingthat is not generally tubular, but rather includes a longitudinallycurved sidewall that encases a portion of the wick 108 and has first andsecond openings in the sidewall through which the wick extends.

In another aspect of the present invention, which is shown in FIG. 8 butwhich is also applicable to any combination of any of the wick holdersand any of the capillary pedestals described herein, the capillary space184 defines a volume, or capillary well 350, between the base portion116 of the wick holder 300 and the capillary pedestal 204. The capillarywell 350 has dimensions that are preselected to promote a successfulsustained relight of the wick 108 after a pool 352 (shown in dashedlines) of the fuel material 311 (such as wax or other meltable fuel) hasbeen formed in melting plate 202 around the peripheral skirt 126 andcapillary pedestal 204 and then allowed to solidify. During a sustainedburn, a fluid portion of the fuel material 311 from the pool 352 isdrawn into the capillary well 350 and up to the wick 108 by capillaryaction to feed a flame 354 at wick 108. If the flame 354 is extinguishedprior to consuming the entire fuel element 110, the pool 352 of fuelmaterial 311 solidifies and extends across the bottom of the meltingplate 202, through the capillary well 350, and into the wick 108. In oneembodiment, when the wick 108 is re-lit after the pool 352 of fuelmaterial 311 has solidified, the capillary space 184 is dimensioned suchthat a fluid supply of the fuel material is quickly formed and availablein the capillary well 350 to feed the flame 354 via the wick 108 untilthe fuel material surrounding the peripheral skirt 126 has meltedsufficiently to provide a supply of liquefied fuel material to replacethe fuel material in the capillary well. For example, if the capillaryspace 184 is dimensioned too small, there may not be enough fuelmaterial in the capillary well 350 to sustain the flame 354 on the wick108 during a sustained relight before the pool 352 of fuel material 311surrounding the peripheral skirt 126 has melted enough to provideadditional liquefied fuel to the wick 108. Also, for example, if thecapillary space 184 is too large, heat transfer through the solidifiedfuel material 311 in the capillary well 350 may be too slow to meltenough of the fuel material therein to provide liquefied fuel to thewick 108 before fuel material in the wick is burned. Under eithercircumstance, the flame 354 may run out of fuel and extinguish prior tomelting a sufficient amount of the fuel material 311 in the pool 352 tobegin or sustain substantially continuous capillary movement of thefluid fuel material from outside of the capillary space 184, into thecapillary well 350, and up the wick 108 to feed the flame 354.Therefore, to assist in a successful sustained relight of the wick 108in one embodiment, the capillary well 350 has a volume not less than avolume sufficient to provide an amount of melted fuel to the relit wick108 until a sufficient amount of liquefied fuel is formed from the pool352 of solidified fuel material 311 adjacent to or surrounding theperipheral skirt 126 to continuously feed the flame 354 by capillaryaction through the capillary space 184. In another embodiment, thevolume of the capillary well 350 is not more than a volume able to allowheat from the flame 354 to melt the solidified fuel material 311disposed in the capillary space 184 sufficiently rapidly to feed theflame 354 after solidified fuel material 311 carried in the wick isburned.

In a further embodiment, a successful relight can be achieved if thevolume of the capillary well 350 is proportional to a thermal mass of anentire candle assembly, such as 100, in order to provide a sufficientsource of melted fuel to the wick until the pool 352 of solidified waxhas melted sufficiently to provide an adequate flow of fuel to the wick108 to maintain a sustained burn of the flame 354. The thermal mass ofthe candle assembly 100 is a measure of the amount of energy needed tochange the temperature of the entire melting plate candle by a measuredamount and is equal to the sum of the products of the mass of eachportion of the candle assembly multiplied by the specific heat of thatportion. Illustratively, a successful relight may be achieved when theratio of the volume of the capillary well 350 to the thermal mass of theentire candle assembly is between about 0.00006 cubic inches per calorieper degree centigrade (hereinafter, in³/cal/° C.) (1 mm³/cal/° C.) andabout 0.0006 in³/cal/° C. (10 mm³/cal/° C.), or between about 0.0001in³/cal/° C. (2 mm³/cal/° C.) and about 0.0004 in³/cal/° C. (6 mm³/cal/°C.), or between about 0.00018 in³/cal/° C. (3 mm³/cal/° C.) and about0.00024 in³/cal/° C. (4 mm³/cal/° C.). Accordingly, in one embodiment,the thermal mass of the candle assembly is between about 135 cal/° C.and about 10 cal/° C., or between about 75 cal/° C. and about 40 cal/°C., or between about 61 cal/° C. and about 50 cal/° C., and the volumeof the capillary well 350 is between about 0.006 in³ (100 mm³) and about0.03 in³ (500 mm³), or between about 0.009 in³ (150 mm³) and about 0.018in³ (300 mm³), or about 0.012 in³ (200 mm³).

For example, the thermal mass of an embodiment of a candle assembly,such as 100, includes the support base 102, the melting plate 202, andthe wick holder 300 having a combined thermal mass of about 50 cal/° C.and the fuel element 110 of approximately 0.53 oz. (15 g) of wax havinga thermal mass of about 10.5 cal/° C. before being burned. The capillarypedestal 204 has a generally frustoconical shape with a height h1between about 0.39 inches (10 mm) and about 0.04 inches (1 mm), or about0.2 inches (5 mm), a bottom radius Φ1 between about 1.18 inches (30 mm)and about 0.39 inches (10 mm), or about 0.83 inches (21 mm), and a topradius Φ2 between about 0.04 inches (1 mm) and about 0.79 inches (20mm), or about 0.43 inches (11 mm). The base 116 has a frustoconicalshape generally complementary to the capillary pedestal with theperipheral skirt 126 having an upper diameter Φ3 of between about 0.08inches (2 mm) and about 0.83 inches (21 mm), or between about 0.43inches (11 mm) and about 0.55 inches (14 mm), or about 0.51 inches (13mm); a bottom diameter Φ4 between about 1.22 inches (31 mm) and about0.43 inches (11 mm), or about 0.79 inches (20 mm) and about 0.91 inches(23 mm), or about 0.87 inches (22 mm); a height h2 between about 0.43inches (11 mm) and about 0.08 inches (2 mm), or between about 0.28inches (7 mm) and about 0.16 inches (4 mm), or about 0.2 inches (5 mm);and a height h3 of the rivets 132 from the end plate 124 of betweenabout 0.004 inches (0.1 mm) and about 0.04 inches (1 mm), or betweenabout 0.03 inches (0.8 mm) and about 0.02 inches (0.5 mm), or about 0.02inches (0.6 mm). In another embodiment, the capillary pedestal 204 has aheight h1 about 0.18 inches (4.7 mm), a bottom radius Φ1 about 0.81inches (20.5 mm), a top radius Φ2 about 0.44 inches (11.1 mm), and thebase 126 has a skirt 126 having an upper diameter Φ3 about 0.5 inches(12.6 mm), a bottom diameter Φ4 about 0.85 inches (21.6 mm), and aheight h2 about 0.2 inches (5.05 mm). When the base 116 is placed on topof the capillary pedestal 204, the end plate 124 is a perpendiculardistance of about 0.03 inches (0.65 mm) from a top wall 178 of thecapillary pedestal, and the peripheral skirt 126 is perpendiculardistance of about 0.02 inches (0.38 mm) from the sidewall 206, whichdefines a capillary well 350 having a volume of approximately 0.012 in³(200 mm³).

FIG. 9 illustrates a portion of a melting plate 400 comprising a concavebase 402, and having a raised pedestal or protrusion 404 located nearthe center thereof. The pedestal is shaped so as to engage the legs orskirt 406 of a wick holder 408. The wick holder 408 has a centralretention mechanism, such as a body 410, which holds a wick 412, andheat fins 414 located so as to absorb heat from a flame upon the wickmounted in the wick holder, and to permit flow of the heat from theflame to the base 402 of the melting plate 400. The legs or skirt 406 ofthe wick holder fit in close proximity to the sides 416 of the pedestal404 and engage an undercut 418 in a side surface of the pedestal bymeans of shoulder 420 in such a manner as to resist removal therefrom.The legs or skirt 406 and a base 422 of the wick holder 408 and thesides 416 and top 424 of the pedestal 404 are in close proximity, so asto permit maximum heat exchange when a flame is disposed on the wick412, and so as to create a capillary gap 426 resulting in a capillaryflow of melted wax from the bottom of the melting plate to the top ofthe pedestal 424. The bottom 422 of the wick holder is thus in closeproximity to the top 424 of the pedestal 404, promoting a rapid and evenflow of liquefied fuel to the wick 412, but held in position so as tocontact the fuel by the wick holder. Although the embodiment isillustrated in terms of a melting plate candle, it may be equally aseffective in the context of a candle jar, tea light, or votive holder.

In FIG. 10, another wick holder 500 according to the present inventionis adapted for use with a candle assembly similar to 100 having acapillary pedestal (not shown) so as to create a capillary space betweenthe wick holder and the capillary pedestal through which liquefied fuel(not shown), such as oil or melted wax, may be drawn from a pool,upwardly between the capillary pedestal and the wick holder, toward awick 502, which is disposed above the capillary pedestal. The wickholder 500 is generally similar to other wick holders described herein,such as the wick holder 106, the wick holder 200, the wick holder 300,and the wick holder 408, except that capillary flow of the liquefiedfuel to the wick 502 is diverted across a portion of the wick holder andlaterally through a side aperture, or fuel feed opening 504, into thewick above the top of a base portion 506 rather than flowing directlyinto the bottom end of the wick through a hole in the bottom or baseportion as generally shown in the other embodiments disclosed herein. Ingeneral, the base portion 506 of the wick holder 500 defines a bottomcavity (not shown) on an opposite side of the base portion from a wickreceiver 508. The bottom cavity is shaped so as to conform closely abouta capillary pedestal, such as the capillary pedestal 204, 112, or 404,in order to promote the upward capillary flow of the liquefied fuel. Inthis particular embodiment, the base portion 506 has a top wall or topplate 510 and a generally frustoconical capillary skirt 512 dependingdownwardly from an outer periphery thereof, which, together, define thebottom cavity. When placed in an operative position on a capillarypedestal, the capillary skirt 512 is disposed around the sidewall of thecapillary pedestal, and the top plate 510 is disposed above a flat topend of the capillary pedestal thereby forming the capillary space. Thebase portion 506, in other embodiments, may have different shapesaccording to the shape of the capillary pedestal. The top plate 510 andthe capillary skirt 512 are generally formed of a sheet of metal that isliquid impervious except for one or more openings, such as holes 514through the top plate and/or a gap 516 along a seam of the wick holder500. The holes 514 are disposed generally around an outercircumferential portion of the top plate 510. Heat fins 518 extendupwardly from the top plate 510 and carry the wick receiver 508, whichin this embodiment is a generally cylindrical barrel, therebetween forholding the wick 502 therein. The wick receiver 508 is generallydisposed over a central portion of the top plate 510 such that the wick502 extends downwardly through a lower open end 520 and rests on top ofthe central portion of the top plate disposed radially between andspaced from the holes 514. A portion of the wick 502 for carrying aflame thereon extends upwardly through an upper open end 522 of the wickreceiver 508, which is distal from the base portion 506. An indentation524 in the wick receiver 508 serves to help retain the wick 502 thereinand may also serve to control the rate of capillary flow upwardly alongthe wick as described above in relation to the indentations 302 in thewick holder 300. Unlike the previously described wick holders, the areaof the top plate 510 directly beneath a bottom end 526 of the wick 502is not open to the capillary space under the base portion 506.

In operation, the wick holder 500 is disposed on a capillary pedestal ina melting plate candle assembly (similarly as described with regard tothe melting plate candle 100) such that when a flame is burning at a topend of the wick 502, liquefied fuel, such as melted wax, from a fuelelement is drawn upwardly toward the wick to feed the flame even when alevel of the liquefied fuel drops below the elevation of the top plate510 and the bottom end 526 of the wick. The fuel feed opening 504 is influid communication with the capillary space via the holes 514. In thepresent embodiment, the liquefied fuel is drawn upwardly from underneaththe capillary skirt 512, through the capillary space between the baseportion 506 and the capillary pedestal, and through the holes 514 andpossibly the gap 516, across the top of the top plate 510, and laterallyinto the wick 502 through the fuel feed opening 504. As shown in FIG.10, the fuel feed opening 504 is defined between the top plate 510 andthe bottom end 520 of the cylindrical barrel; however, the fuel feedopening 504 may take the form of any opening adjacent to the baseportion 506 that is sufficient to allow the liquefied fuel to be drawnlaterally into the wick 502 above the base portion. For example, thefuel feed opening 504 may include one or more slits or small holesthrough the sidewall(s) of the wick receiver 508, which would drawliquefied fuel across the top of the top plate 510 and laterally intothe wick 502. The lateral fuel flow into the wick 502 through the fuelfeed opening 504 is sustained by the capillary forces of the wick 502and attractive forces of the liquefied fuel so as to draw the liquefiedfuel from the holes 514 across the top plate 510, through the fuel feedopening, and into the wick. In other embodiments, the lateral fuel feedopening 504 may also be combined with a hole (not shown) in the topplate directly underneath the bottom end 526 of the wick 502, which maybe formed by, for example, the gap 516 extending across the top plate510 or any other form of opening. Other features of the various wickholders described herein may also be combined with the wick holder 500and vice-versa.

The invention having been described in an illustrative manner, it isunderstood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature ofdescription rather than of limitation. The various components of thevarious melting plate candle assemblies described herein may be packagedas an assembled unit, as an unassembled kit including all or a portionof the components, as individual components, and in any combinationthereof. Different and various combinations of the above-mentionedcomponents of the various melting plate candle assemblies can also beused in the apparatuses, methods, kits, and combinations hereindescribed. Other variations, modifications, and equivalents of thepresent invention possible in light of the above teachings arespecifically included within the scope of the impending claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A wick holder, according to the present invention, may be used to hold awick in a predetermined location relative to a fuel element. In oneparticular application, the wick holder of the present invention may beused with a melting plate candle assembly as generally described hereinto maintain a flame on the wick at a height above the level of aliquefied pool of fuel so as to prevent or at least minimize the risk offlash over in the pool of liquefied fuel. Other uses and benefits of thewick holder of the present invention will be apparent to those skilledin the art.

Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative onlyand is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art tomake and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying outsame. All patents and patent applications cited herein are incorporatedby reference in their entireties. The exclusive rights to allmodifications that come within the scope of the appended claims arereserved.

1. A wick holder, comprising: a base portion defining a cavity on afirst side thereof; a wick retainer disposed on a second side of thebase portion opposite the first side; an opening through the baseportion between the first side and the second side; and a fuel aperturedisposed on the second side of the base portion, wherein the fuelaperture is adjacent to the base portion, and wherein the fuel apertureis spaced from the opening.
 2. The wick holder of claim 1 furthercomprising a second aperture defined at an end of the wick retainerdistal from the base portion, wherein the second aperture is adapted toallow a portion of a wick to extend therethrough for carrying a flamethereon.
 3. The wick holder of claim 1, wherein a liquefied fuel travelsover a portion of the second side of the base portion between theopening and the fuel aperture when a flame is disposed on a wickreceived by the wick retainer.
 4. The wick holder of claim 3, whereinthe base portion comprises a capillary skirt, the capillary skirt atleast partly defining the cavity.
 5. The wick holder of claim 4, whereinthe wick retainer comprises a retainer sleeve.
 6. The wick holder ofclaim 5, wherein the fuel aperture is at least partly defined betweenthe base portion and the retainer sleeve.
 7. The wick holder of claim 5,wherein the fuel aperture is disposed through a sidewall of the retainersleeve.
 8. The wick holder of claim 5 further comprising an indentationin a sidewall of the retainer sleeve.
 9. The wick holder of claim 4,wherein the base portion comprises a top plate, and the capillary skirtdepends from the top plate.
 10. The wick holder of claim 9, wherein theopening is defined through the top plate.
 11. The wick holder of claim10 further comprising a heat fin extending from the second side of thebase portion.
 12. The wick holder of claim 11, wherein the heat fin isattached to the top plate and supports the wick retainer.
 13. A wickholder, comprising: a base portion adapted to form a capillary spaceabove a capillary pedestal; a wick receiver disposed above the baseportion and adapted to retain a wick; an opening through the baseportion adapted to provide fluid communication between the capillaryspace and a top side of the base portion; and a fuel aperture defined atleast partly by the wick receiver, the fuel aperture disposed above andadjacent to the base portion spaced from the opening; wherein the fuelaperture is adapted to be in fluid communication with the capillaryspace; and wherein the wick holder is adapted to hold a portion of thewick above a pool of liquefied fuel surrounding the capillary pedestal.14. The wick holder of claim 13, wherein the base portion comprises atop wall and a capillary skirt depending downwardly from the top wall,and wherein the opening is disposed through the top wall.
 15. The wickholder of claim 14 further comprising a heat fin extending upwardly fromthe top wall, wherein the heat fin carries the wick receiver.
 16. Thewick holder of claim 15, wherein the fuel aperture is defined betweenthe top wall and the wick receiver.
 17. The wick holder of claim 16,wherein the wick receiver comprises a tubular retainer sleeve.
 18. Awick assembly comprising a wick and a wick holder, the wick holdercomprising: a base portion; a heat fin extending upwardly from a topside of the base portion; a wick receiver disposed above the top side ofthe base portion; the wick carried by the wick receiver with the wickdisposed above the base portion; a fluid path defined through the baseportion, the fluid path extending between a supply area of liquefiedfuel below the base portion and the top side of the base portion; and asecond fluid path extending from the wick and disposed above the baseportion; wherein the first fluid path is spaced from the second fluidpath, and the first fluid path and the second fluid path provide fluidcommunication between the supply area and the wick.
 19. The wickassembly of claim 18, wherein the base portion comprises a capillaryskirt extending downwardly from an outer periphery of a top wall, thecapillary skirt and the top wall at least partly defining the supplyarea of liquefied fuel, wherein the first fluid path comprises anopening through the top wall, and the second fluid path comprises alateral opening defined by a portion of the wick receiver.
 20. The wickassembly of claim 19 further comprising a second heat fin extendingupwardly from the top side of the base portion and spaced from the firstheat fin, the wick receiver comprising a barrel spaced above the topwall and carried by the first heat fin and the second heat fin, and thebarrel comprising and indentation to retain the wick.